Joe Pedicino

Joe Pedicino
Born(1949-10-04)October 4, 1949
New York City, United States
DiedApril 12, 2020(2020-04-12) (aged 70)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)"The Round Mound of Sound" Joe Pedicino
Billed fromAtlanta, Georgia
Debut1986
Retired1994

Joe Pedicino (October 4, 1949 – April 12, 2020)[1] was an American professional wrestling announcer, commentator, promoter, television and radio producer. He was a well-known on-air personality in regional territories of the Southern United States during the 1980s, being an announcer and commentator for Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling, and as host of the nationally syndicated Superstars of Wrestling with his wife Boni Blackstone[2][3][4] and Gordon Solie[5][6][7] from 1986 to 1992.[8]

The series, created and produced by Pedicino, aired eight hours of wrestling from around the country and was the first to provide national coverage of the National Wrestling Alliance as well as from Puerto Rico and Japan. He and Solie also hosted a popular segment on the show, "Pro Wrestling This Week", which discussed the then current news from the "Big Three" (AWA, NWA and the WWF) and regional promotions. Scott Hudson and Steve Prazak, both former WCW announcers, were fans of the show and given their first big break by Pedicino when he began promoting events in the late 1980s. Bill Apter, editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, has also credited Pedicino for considerably raising his profile among wrestling fans due to his weekly segment.[9][10]

He was also the booker and part owner of the Global Wrestling Federation with former USWA commentator Max Andrews,[11] as well as part of the announcing team for GWF Wrestling Superstars on ESPN,[2][12][13] and had a similar role in the short-lived Ladies Professional Wrestling Association.[14] Popularly known as the "round mound of sound", Pedicino has been compared to some of the top commentators of the mid-to late 1980s and is regarded as one of the most recognizable personalities during the final years of the "territory era". Brian Westcott, wrestling historian and writer, has called Pedicino one of his all-time favorite play-by-play/color commentators.[15]

Following his retirement from wrestling, Pedicino owned and operated local radio stations based in central Georgia, as well as general sales manager for WCNN radio Atlanta. Pedicino was also a management consultant for several major media companies including Turner Broadcasting, Susquehanna Broadcasting and Clear Channel Broadcasting.[16] He and his wife also began a successful publishing company, Food Fax, which puts out six annual specialty advertising guides. Their company, the first to offer such service, started out sending fax listings to office workers of lunch menus and daily specials from more than 1,000 local restaurants in Cobb County, Georgia.[17]

  1. ^ Hudspeth, Ron. "Shortcut to nowhere leaves even more commuters in a jam." The Atlanta Constitution. 6 Oct. 1986: B3.
  2. ^ a b Letawsky, Craig (2002-11-14). "Ask 411 11.14.02: No Limit Soldiers, Barry O, Super Liger, Savinovich". Columns. 411mania.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  3. ^ Byers, Ryan (2008-11-19). "Ask 411 11.19.08: The Macho/Taker Edition". Columns. 411mania.com.
  4. ^ Symkus, Ed and Vinnie Carolan. Wrestle Radio U.S.A.: Grapplers Speak. Toronto: ECW Press, 2004. (pg. 35, 81, 134, 148, 201, 204) ISBN 1-55022-646-0
  5. ^ Allyn, Robert. Gordon Solie ... Something Left Behind. Altamonte Springs, Florida: Florida Media, Inc., 2005. (pg. 220) ISBN 0-9763062-1-2
  6. ^ Hartley, Jeremy; Earl Oliver (1998). "Gordon Solie Interview". Interviews. Solie.org.
  7. ^ Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2004). "Gordon Solie". Hall of Famers. PWHF.org. Archived from the original on 2005-10-27.
  8. ^ Sneed, Mitch. "Fayette resident talks tough on the air - Blackstone reaches top as WWF personality." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 16 Sept. 1993: M10
  9. ^ Total Wrestling (2003-07-14). "Interview - Bill Apter". Interviews. MediaMan.com.au.
  10. ^ Apter, Bill; Andy Sternman (2007-06-27). "Ask Apter -- "About Pro Wrestling This Week..."". Newsline. 1wrestling.com.[dead link‍]
  11. ^ Cauliflower Alley Club. "2007 Finishes". Finishes. CauliflowerAlleyClub.org. Archived from the original on 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  12. ^ Speed, Steve L. (2004). "Regional Territories: GWF". Regional Territories. KayfabeMemories.com.
  13. ^ Speed, Steve L. (2004). "Regional Territories: GWF #4, Page #2". Regional Territories. KayfabeMemories.com.
  14. ^ Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (Producer) (2003-05-15). LPWA the Super Ladies: Best Vol. 1 (VHS). Los Angeles: Quantum Leap Group Ltd.
  15. ^ Westcott, Brian. "Brian Westcott's Professional Wrestling Web Page!! (Home of Westcott's Wrestling Archives)". Westcott's Wrestling Archives. BrianRich.net.
  16. ^ "Joe Pedicino, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer,, Legacy Media Holdings, LLC". Legacy Media Holdings, LLC Bios. LegacyMediaHoldings.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29.
  17. ^ Nash, Rebecca. "Cobb At Work - Couple links up with `all the news that's fit to eat'." The Atlanta Journal Constitution. 19 Nov. 1992: G13